


Rain Dance

by Qzeebrella



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-08
Updated: 2007-06-07
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:18:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8088736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qzeebrella/pseuds/Qzeebrella
Summary: Trip teaches Malcolm to hope and Malcolm returns the favour





	1. Parched

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: inspired by a fic prompt Kayjay gave me, which linked me to here: http://www.answers.com/topic/rain. Written for Salathome for Entficathon who wanted Tucker/Reed - something sweet and sappy and a little angsty ... with a happy ending!From Malcolm's point of view.  


* * *

My mouth is so very dry, itâ€™s aching. The constant thirst haunting me as I try to continue on. 

Placing one foot in front of another in an endless drudgery. Struggling against the desire to lay down and quit fighting. Struggling to continue on in the brutal, arid environment. No shelter to be found, with nothing to quench the all powerful thirst for love. So very powerful is the thirst that I chase after every drop of affection grudgingly offered to me. I even shamelessly offer all that I am for even a hint of affection, but I always go wanting.


	2. Thirst

Every now and then, I hope that love will rain upon me. That love will fill all the empty reservoirs in my heart and soul. That love will quench the unbearable thirst I have lived with all my life. A thirst my parents were not equipped to ease given their utter inability to express affection even to each other.

Which resulted in me seeking affection elsewhere. Hoping to find someone who would understand how very much I needed to be loved and to be greeted with a smile. But it soon seemed that no such person was to be found anywhere.


	3. Drop

Almost always my hopes were dashed into tiny pieces. Leaving me shattered and forlorn. Yet there was something in me that still hoped that I would find someone who longed to express affection as much as I longed to experience it.

So I chased after whispy, barely there hints of affection until I could chase no more. Tired and weary, parched and bitter, I began to do all I could to keep my heart safe by chasing away everyone who tried to get too close. I swatted away every drop of affection offered to me, even as I thirsted for it.


	4. Evaporating

Soon I began to be wary of every hint of affection. So very sure that it would evaporate if I dared to reach out for it, as it had so many countless times before. I even resolved to become content with my arid, barren life. I resolved to live without affection, without meaningful relationships, without all the things I longed for.

For the most part I was successful, trudging through each day like a perfect soldier. Doing my best to become the automaton my parents conditioned me to be. I went through life just existing. Then I met Trip.


	5. Precipitation

Every time he saw me, he smiled. His eyes glowing with pleasure, almost as if overflowing with happiness at seeing me. Every smile dropped into my life just when I needed it the most. Refreshing my parched soul and renewing my hope.

Each smile precipitated an upswelling of joy within my heart. A joy that I soaked myself in. I began to do everything within my power to make him smile so that I could drink in the joy I saw within his gorgeous blue eyes.

His smile should have been enough for me, yet I still thirsted for more.


	6. Sprinkle

With every smile hope grew within my heart. Hope that the smiles would lead to more. I began to keep a careful eye out for promising developments and that was when I noticed how often Trip was nearby. 

It seemed almost as if every time I looked up, there he would be. Hovering behind me at my station, or offering to assist me in the armoury, or asking if he could join me in the mess hall. 

I began to expect each day to be sprinkled with frequent sightings of him and I began to look forward to seeing him.


	7. Rain

I became so used to seeing him every day that I slowly began to trust that he would be there for me when I needed him. That I would never have to go thirsty for company or affection again. And I tried so very hard to be satisfied with the friendship he freely offered to me, but something within me refused to settle for it.

I began to push for more by seeking him out. By asking him to join me in the gym or for a movie and he greeted each invitation as enthusiastically as a flower greets the rain.


	8. Shower

Every time we met I was able to store a little bit of hope into my reservoir. To live off of in the times Trip would not be near and I would experience a drought of affection again.

I began to wonder why my reservoir of hope was not overflowing now that I was able to add it every day, I was still unable to trust that the stored hope would be enough to sustain me through times of need. 

Nor was I content with what I had. I still longed to be showered with love and affection. Preferably Tripâ€™s.


	9. Scattered Touches

To my delight I began to receive more than I ever dreamed of as Trip began to touch me.

First it was just a light touch of his hand upon my shoulder, then it was a brief touch to my hand as we talked. Soon the touches scattered throughout the day as we saw each other. These scattered touches slowly morphed into soft caresses exchanged upon greeting. 

Every day I was treated to a constant drizzle of touches. Touches that soothed a deep ache inside of me that I had not known was there. Touches that began to soothe my thirst.


	10. Thunder

With every day the touches became more frequent and more tender. Each one seeming to linger just a little longer than necessary. Each one enriching my live a little bit at a time.

I became a little bit more confident and sure. I learned how to open up to others so they could get close to me. I even slowly learned how to like myself.

It finally seemed as if the forecast for happiness in my life was good. Then the Xindi came and in their wake Trip lashed out at me with thunderous words. Doing his best to chase me away.


	11. Storm

I refused to go. In fact I dug in and prepared for a siege. Wanting to be there for Trip when he was ready to let go of his anger and to finally mourn his loss. 

At first I tried to reach out to him in the same way we had been reaching out to each other by talking with him and touching him. But his rage was still storming out of control and I got caught in the backlash.

So I retreated and regrouped before trying again using the same methods Trip used on me. Patience, gentleness, friendship and smiles.


	12. Weep

I started slowly by nodding at him as we passed each other in the corridor. By sitting with him in the mess hall. By going to Engineering and lending a hand when I could. By being in the gym when I knew would be there.

I became a master at knowing just when to smile ever so slightly and when to just touch his hand without smiling. Doing all I could to help him by being there for him just as he had always been there for me. And finally one day he came to me and the floodgates opened.


	13. Torrent

I held him as he poured out his anguish at his sisterâ€™s death upon my shoulder. Providing him with a safe harbour in in the face of the torrential grief sweeping over him.

I could not help but be glad that he was finally allowing himself to mourn. That he was allowing himself to cry and let all the pain out. That he had turned to me in his time of need.

I felt privileged to be there for the man who taught me to hope and awed to be holding the man who taught me how to love.


	14. Sunshine

We talked for awhile, Trip telling me about what his sister was like and how much he loved her. He even smiled again, a little, as he told me about the time she put chocolate pudding in his bed. I even got him to laugh a bit when I told him about the time Maddy and I battled Godzilla and won. And with his laughter, the sun came out, shining upon us. Our shared reminiscences warming us both.

I rejoiced at every smile he showered upon me then. Storing each away in my memory and allowing them to fill my heart.


	15. Sunny Skies

Slowly we began to get back to where we had been before the Xindi came. Back to spending as much time together as possible, talking and laughing with each other. We returned to smiling at and touching each other whenever we met. Soon we found delight in each otherâ€™s company again.

Then something changed. One day Trip turned to me and cupped my face with his hand, looking at me tenderly. Then he kissed me gently and my heart flooded with happiness. I held him close and savoured the kiss, allowing myself to hope that I had found lasting love.


End file.
